The Harvest Festival Murders: The Homefront Sleuths Cozy Mystery Series, Book 6

Homefront Sleuths #6

by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley, Iona Campbell (Narrator)

Harvest celebrations meet wedding bells ... until murder crashes the party.

The Homefront Sleuths thought their biggest challenge would be planning Blake and Katherine's perfect autumn wedding. But when a mysterious government inspector turns up dead at the Harvest Festival, their cozy village celebration becomes the scene of something sinister.

What starts as a puzzling murder quickly becomes a race against time. Missing microfilm, coded messages, and suspicious "diplomats" suggest this case is far more dangerous than anything the Sleuths have faced before. With potential Nazi spies lurking behind familiar faces, no one in Crofter's Green is above suspicion.

Between wedding preparations and investigating clues, the beloved team finds themselves busier than ever. Katherine balances bridal duties with mystery-solving, Dorothy's sewing circle provides the best village intelligence, and Bonzo the Pomeranian proves once again that four paws beat two feet when sniffing out trouble.

But as a second murder rocks their community and Evie's partnership with Detective Inspector Nigel grows complicated by unprofessional feelings, the stakes have never been higher.

Can the Sleuths unmask a killer before their village—and their hearts—pay the ultimate price?

A delightful blend of cozy mystery, wartime suspense, and village charm—perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Carola Dunn, and The Mitford Murders. Scroll up and One-click now!

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Historical

Audible Audio

First published September 5, 2025

About the author

Anna Elliott is an author of historical fiction and fantasy. She enjoys stories about strong women, and loves exploring the multitude of ways women can find their unique strengths. She was delighted to lend a hand with the Sherlock & Lucy series, and thrilled to continue a new spin-off series featuring Becky and Flynn. Her first series, the Twilight of Avalon trilogy, is a retelling of the Trystan & Isolde legend. She wrote her second series, The Pride & Prejudice Chronicles , chiefly to satisfy her own curiosity about what might have happened to Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and all the other wonderful cast of characters after the official end of Jane Austen’s classic work.

WEBSITE: http://sherlockandlucy.com
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sherlockand...
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/77782...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anna-El...

Anna lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and five children.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read, part of a series I had not dipped into previously. The father/daughter joint authorship produces a well rounded tale of life during war recovery era.

Kindle Unlimited

[Seileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps because the authors are churning out these books, I think they have become formulaic. This one is my absolute least favorite with a body count of five, over the top, deaths. The storyline was very meh and rather simple and a few of the murders felt unnecessary. I didn’t feel pulled into the story and characters like the others. It felt all over the place with red herrings (Greta and the black market farmer) and I easily spotted the culprit.

[Yoeri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I still like this series as it's some welcome escapism from reality but I'm rating this one -1 for a couple of reasons.

First: the plot is quite confusing for such a short book. There's too many characters at some point. It feels convoluted and messy.

Second: the speed at which the authors churn these out is showing in the writing and I don't like to say it but it feels a bit like they're using AI at some point.

Third: Following on part two: only available on Kindle and Audible.
Give your readers some options.
Please.
I don't mind paying for the things I enjoy but you're making it quite difficult to not resort to..other means.
/end rant

[livros100fim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable instalment in the series, and I’ve already started book seven!
This time, the story brings new characters into Crofter’s Green, while espionage once again takes centre stage. Nazi agents, coded messages and the threat of an attack keep the mystery moving and add more danger to the investigation.
I also enjoyed seeing Katherine recovering and becoming a proper member of the investigating gang, as well as the growing feelings between Evie and Nigel. And this time, it’s Nigel whose life is in danger.

I gave it 4 stars. I’m still invested in these characters and curious to see where the series takes them next.

@livros100fim

[Judith · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Harvest Festival Murders by Anna Elliot is book six in this series but the first one I read. I normally do not read books in a series out of order, because why would you want to do that. However, this is pretty much a cozy mystery and I needed a book that had a harvest/autumn festival for a reading challenge task. So I figured I would still be able to follow the story without much of an issue as we aren’t talking about starting six books in to some detailed science fiction book with complicated world building. And that was the case, I definitely was missing some of character relationship development of course, but the authors provided enough details I never felt lost or confused.

However, I don’t really recommend this book. It was fine and I have read worse for reading challenges by far. That being said, this book was just bonkers town after a certain point. But seemed to not know it was bonkers town? Or that the story was way too far off the rails into suspending disbelief it was just silly? If that author, or in this case authors as this is a father/daughter writing duo, embrace the cray-cray and go for broke. Maybe this wasn’t the best introduction to their work, but I’m not planning on investigating their works any further.

[Teddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was all over the place without a real focus and felt like too much was crammed into one book.
We've got more spies and Germans and missing microfilm. Way too much of this sort happening in one out of the way village - I could see the authors including these themes in one book but all of them? I keep hoping for some normal village mysteries!

[Miss Rachey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yayyyy! The Homefront Sleuths are back! I’ve missed the gang in Crofters Green!

A very complex murder mystery with lots of seemingly random events and deaths that are sort of linked but also possibly not…

Suspicious newbies in the village from a Swiss Agricultural expert, a government inspector checking up on ration management, land girls acting strangely and a Yorkshire airman - oh - and another anthrax scare!

I kind of feel like I’d like to be Alice when I grow up. She’s so cool, classy, clever and I quite like the idea of being a herbalist lol

Some really emotional moments in this particular book through the character of lieutenant Bradshaw, his resilience and the injuries he’s sustained…a chapter that was just a conversation between him and Harry but from Harry’s PoV as an older gent reflecting on this young guy.

And another between Bradshaw and Blake but for a different reason - just another insight into how misunderstood Blake is and his not understanding social queues, and how difficult neurodivergence would have been to live with when it wasn’t something really recognised or understood.

The general strength and resilience of the young men during that time was incredible and inspirational.

There was a much bigger focus on food in this book, which I wonder is because as the war went on, and food became scarcer, it was so relevant that it needed to be talked about? It makes me so appreciative of actual real eggs and butter. Love how ingenious the villages were with adapting to use honey instead of sugar and baguette style bread as it doesn’t require the same ingredients.

The land girls were absolutely integral to ensuring that crops and animals were managed and really kept the country going.

As always, love the historical facts at the end of the book - I don’t mind at all if the books aren’t factually accurate but it’s so interesting knowing what’s what.

Dying for Evie and Nigel to finally just get together!!

And I do not for a second think that Paul is gone gone.

[C.G.Koens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one needed an edit

{SPOILER} The authors have been cranking out these books and you can really tell with this one. Lots of loose, dangling ends, one minute Katherine is getting ready to talk to Harry and Nigel about the German girl (Greta, who disappears from the story after that, and really wasn't central to anything!), the next minute she's standing in the village hall being fitted for a wedding dress. One minute Evie is sneaking around a crash site, with a gun in her hand, but the next minute she's back at the hospital and kicking herself for not being armed. There were too many side stories and ideas, none of which really played to the main plot (which kept getting lost in all the side plots and murders), and if one more woman's hair was described as "Pulled back severely" in a bun, or one more "scared face" with "darting eyes" showed up in the story, I was going to scream. I'm all about getting more books out, but don't sacrifice the editorial portions of the writing. This definitely needed some help and made it far less enjoyable than previous stories in the series.

[Edie Kennard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love The Harvest Festival Murders by Anna Elliott. As a huge fan of historical fiction, the premise—a mystery set against the backdrop of a vibrant harvest festival—sounded like it would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, for me, this book was a real struggle to get through, earning it a modest 2 out of 5 stars.

The historical research and attention to detail are clearly present; I have no doubt the author, Anna Elliott, worked incredibly hard to bring this world to life. The setting itself promised an immersive experience. However, the execution felt disappointingly dry and boring. Instead of being swept away by the period atmosphere, I found myself constantly checking how many pages were left.

The pacing felt sluggish, and the narrative lacked the vital spark that makes a good historical mystery a page-turner. While the backdrop was interesting, the story itself never truly engaged me, and the characters, despite their potential, felt somewhat flat.

I genuinely believe this is a matter of personal preference. I know other readers have thoroughly enjoyed this book and appreciate the author's meticulous approach. My inability to connect with it doesn't diminish the hard work that went into its creation. It simply wasn't my cup of tea. I prefer historical fiction with a faster pace and a bit more emotional urgency.

If you enjoy historical fiction that prioritizes deep, slow-burn atmosphere and meticulous detail over rapid plot movement, you might find more to love here. But if you're looking for a gripping, character-driven mystery, you might find this one a bit of a snooze.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The actual murder / spy investigation type thing in this book wasn’t as good as the others but the personal life story was fantastic and the slow burn I’ve been obsessed with, I’m very excited at how this book ended

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something wrong with this book. It was all over the place, there were many loose ends, the mystery didn’t make sense, and the unnecessary repetition of already-known information was nuts. It felt like 2 different people wrote it (which they did), but this time they didn’t bother reading the other person’s parts. It became obvious as the book went on (and on and on and on) that this was helped along by AI, either with the writing, or the editing, or both. And it showed. I have loved this series, but this book was a huge dud. Reading reviews of the next one seems as though the same issues exist. I’m taking a break.

[Joy Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do love the characters in this series. And the stories keep getting better.

[Nikki Edmonds]

3.25⭐️

[Clare Crawshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lovely read in this series, hoping for a book
7.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

October 1941 Another case for the Homefront team as a body of a government inspector is discovered at the site of their harvest festival. Combine this with important official microfilm gone missing and the possibility of German spies the team will be busy investigating.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its likeable and interesting main characters. Another good addition to this delightful series.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again the Homefront Sleuths are embroiled in espionage and murder while the rest of Crofter's Green is busy preparing for the fall harvest fête. Rationing has turned even the tiniest of yards into farmland.

William Fairchild, a food distribution inspector is the first murder victim. Maintaining the homefront during World War II was a well-oiled machine of bureaucratic efficiency. The government saw to it that the people of Great Britain were fed as independently of foreign aid as possible. Included in this effort were the ladies of the Women's Land Army, all volunteers, many of whom were from the cities so farming was not something they knew beforehand. The war effort was an all hands on deck operation. Even manor houses foreswore their elegant gardens in favor of growing crops.

Along with murder, there is missing microfilm. This is of great concern to Mr. Brown of the SOE (Special Operations Executive). Property of the Ministry of Food, the film contains all of the nation’s food infrastructure plans—imports, warehouses, and supply chain distribution lists. If it falls into German hands, it could mean starvation for the British people.

Not all is gloom and doom. In the midst of criminal mayhem, a joyous occasion is being planned. Katherine and Blake are planning their wedding. Dorothy comes up with a plan to learn the local gossip surrounding Fairchild's murder by forming a sewing circle to alter a donated wedding dress. The gossip is helpful and the dress turns out grand. Along with the wedding, there is more romance in the air. During wartime, living in the moment takes on new meaning.

The team of Elliott and Veley write wonderful characters that read like living, breathing human beings. Evie, Harry, Nigel, Alice, Blake, and Dorothy are the founders of the group. Dorothy's husband Tom helps out when needed but prefers to not be a member. On the other hand, Katherine has been accepted as Blake's other half. As in any group of people, each person has his or her own fancies and foibles. I would gladly spend an evening at the pub with any or all of them.

As always, do read the Historical Notes section. It always contains interesting facts pertinent to the story. About the Authors is also highly entertaining.

I eagerly await the next installment of The Homefront Sleuths Cozy Mysteries titled The Scrooge Conspiracy.

[Jill E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So riveting and exciting

Our favorite sleuths from Crofters Green have returned in this, at least for me, much anticipated sixth book of the series. All of our favorites have returned, along with multiple murders and a swathe of potential suspects. For a while, some are suspects, but some then become victims themselves, keeping the reader on his or her toes trying to figure out who the villain is.

It is amazing to read all of the fascinating details based on extensive research the authors have done into World War II from a British standpoint. It demonstrates so clearly how a united people can come together, not only for common purpose to fight evil, but also to support each other in difficult times.

I found myself doing research on the side about things I was unfamiliar with, such as the threat that Evie and Nigel face. I so appreciate the background provided; but also the characterizations are as true as ever, allowing us to feel like we’re spending time with old friends. It’s easy to tell (and appreciate) when a gifted writer can create characters that step off of the page and leave such a lasting impression.

I very much enjoyed the book. I had a difficult time putting it down… And in some cases flew over the words because it was so exciting.

And what a surprise to find that the next book will be coming out in only two months. I strongly recommend not only this book, but also this entire series which just seems to get better and better with each installment!

[Dan Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been my huge privilege to receive the books of this series as free advance copies, courtesy of the authors. I have enjoyed every one of them, and this latest is no exception. I view the series as being very much like the best kind of TV series—with an ongoing serial storyline that helps keep you engaged from episode to episode, but with each one standing very nicely on its own. This does not rule out the possibility of cliffhangers, and we saw one of those in this series, when Evie is abducted right at the end of The Judas Monk Murders. But each book reveals as much as is needed of the previous occurrences to allow someone new to the series to get the full enjoyment of the story without feeling lost.
In this book, a government inspector turns up dead in a cider press at the site of the upcoming Harvest Festival, and Evie and her friends collaborate to try to discover the reason for his murder and how it fits into the disappearance of some microfilms that contain sensitive information on the distribution of food items from famers to consumers during a time of war. At the same time, we see the ongoing development of Evie's feelings regarding Inspector Nigel and the preparations for a wedding between two of the other regular characters. We also witness some of the insecurities she has carried over from her captivity.
All told, the book has great development of the various characters and their interaction in the investigation. This is my candid opinion, and I look forward to the next book in the series, already available for preorder at this time.

[Jo Lynn Bruno-Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adventure of the Homefront Sleuths, this one with the Crofters Green Harvest Festival as a backdrop. On the eve of the Festival, a body is found in the giant cider press on the grounds of the fair.
This story has the strict food rationing guidelines of WWII England as a major character. I knew it was very important to England, but this gave a deeper look into how it was structures and enforced by the government. The murders seem to revolve around people involved in the rationing program. Yes, the murders fill the fingers of one hand (unusual for a Cozy) and keep the Sleuths and the understaffed police busy trying to solve them. Are they all related or are they some kind of nefarious diversion?
Besides Rationing, the story also involves the Land Girls program, employing young women to tend and harvest the multiplying fields of food crops. Another wonderful glimpse into the historical aspects of the story that are the recurring theme of these books. The Historical Notes at the end are almost as compelling as the stories
The Sleuths themselves are going through changes as well. Blake and Katherine are planning their wedding, Evie is coming to grips with the execution of her traitor husband, and Nigel is acknowledging that he has feelings for Evie.
With the exception of the loose end of a young German woman's fate it was a Good Read.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another WWII German spy in a little village in England. The culprit was pretty easily identified but the side plot amongst the group of friends was enough to keep me interested. Evie is tasked by Mr. Brown to find who stole a canister of microfilm that documents all of England's food routes which could be crippling if it falls into the hands of the Germans. Meanwhile Nigel and Harry are investigating the murder of a food inspector. As usual, the two investigations soon merge. There are plenty of suspects including a German land girl, a nosy postmistress, a Swiss diplomat and an injured RAF pilot. But when more dead bodies turn up it is clear that the microfilm thief is trying to cover his tracks. Then Evie and Nigel are exposed to anthrax and Alice tries to get a cure from an herbalist friend but it is eventually Evie who gets the penicillin from Mr. Brown to treat Nigel's tell-tale rash. And they are able to catch the German-speaking Swiss diplomat before he escaped with the microfilm. In more interesting news, Katherine and Blake are planning their wedding, Dorothy established a wedding dress circle to repurpose an older gown, Alice provided treatment to RAF pilot Bradshaw for his burns and he may or may not show up in future books, and Evie and Nigel finally admitted their mutual attraction.

[Milly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet again I’ve returned to the world of Crofters Green and the Homefront Sleuths. However, I felt that this one didn’t work quite as well. I have thoroughly enjoyed the previous reads, particularly the Book 5, but this one I found that there was almost too much going on. So many murders, missing microfilm and spies. It starts with the body of a government inspector in the Harvest Festival display. And then there is missing microfilm about the British food supply chain which could cause real problems if it fell into enemy hands. Two seemingly unrelated events but as with all cases that the sleuths become involved with nothing is as it seems. For me there were too many characters this time and I did wonder why some of them were included. They didn’t have any real part to play and just muddied the waters. That said, I did enjoy meeting these old friends again and watching their lives/relationships evolve even if the mystery this time didn’t really work for me. And I do like reading about the way that the resourceful wives of the village create baked goods without the ingredients that we just pop out to Tescos to buy. Let’s see if Book 7, when I get to it is a return to the plots that I enjoy

[Jo Prince · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered that I hadn’t read this one yet. I know it’s just escapism, but it really wouldn’t take that much effort to make it a better book. Just give it to a few English oldies like myself who are children of parents who served in the war and we would correct all the errors, and they are increasingly glaring. Repetitive phrasing is irritating of the few points that the author has researched such as using honey to sweeten jam, but having a German in the land army, then wandering around is crazy. My parents knew several Jews who escaped from Germany in 1938 but they were interned for the duration!
No-one ever asks to see documentation or checks up their stories, cars always have petrol, a harvest festival seems to go on forever, No-one is looking after Tommy or the tea shop, cakes are constantly served (without ration coupons being requested) but rarely made.
On a positive note, the narrator has learner how to say ‘Daimler’ as the British pronounce it. Perhaps she can get ‘worry’ correct for a standard southern accent now.

[Giannina Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting journey through the Crofter's Green village and countryside. The body of Mr. Fairchild is staged in the apple press at the Harvest Festival. Was this done to cause a hopelessness in the hearts of the villagers? With little to go on the Sleuths have their jobs cut out for them. Then Evie gets a call from Mr. Brown regarding missing microfilm. The microfilm contains the routes for the food supply to all the villages. Have they got another German spy in their midst? The wonderful part of these books is that each of the sleuths contributes the narrative of their part of the investigation. We get to know more about each one and their integeral part of the story. Anna and Charles do an excellent job of bring the characters to life and making us care of the struggles of the time. I received a review copy for an honest review and can say it does not disappoint. I can hardly wait for the next adventure. Would give more stars if I could.

[Karen Keyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I promised I would not point out all the historical inaccuracies in this series anymore but I just have to say, once again, that the authors clearly have the SOE confused with MI-5. And also, while I am on my soapbox, the average British citizen during WWII knew nothing about the SOE, which operated clandestinely in Nazi occupied Europe. So having Evie say to the hospital director, “I’m with the Special Operations Executive, and we have some security concerns.” is all wrong. A) because as I said, he wouldn’t have known what the SOE was and B) because knowledge of the SOE was classified Most Secret and was not to be bandied about.”

One other complaint about this particular book in the series, the ‘Who’s Who in Crofter’s Green which is included in the front of the book identifies the villain, which is counterproductive in a mystery.

Other than those complaints, I enjoyed The Harvest Festival Murders. The core characters are endearing and the going’s on are interesting.

[Jackie Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Homefront Sleuths are back at it again solving the hell out of some crime.

I have come to love this series. The characters are chefs kiss. The whodunnit was always so unpredictable; but I think this one felt flat to me.

Firstly, I don’t understand why we have Katherine’s pov (she’s a little bland imo & wasn’t really there from the beginning) but not Nigel’s??? Esp with the romance between Nigel & Evie or the fact that it’s his police department. I wish the books were focused a little less on Harry and more on the other characters.

Spoilers, maybe ‼️
Also - with the German characters added to the mix, this book wasn’t as unpredictable as the other ones have been. & I just felt like there was a bunch of unnecessary m*rders.

This one just felt to be all over the place & definitely not my favorite.
Ugh 3 ⭐️ bc I want Nigel’s pov & I don’t think I’ll be happy until we get it.

[Lonny Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the Homefront Sleuths series. Crofter's Green is quite busy for a small village, but as they are close to the Channel and home to a factory making Spitfire parts it's not too surprising they would attract the attention of the Nazi fifth column. I gave this book an extra star because it centers around the British efforts to keep the people from starving. The UK is a series of islands and they are not food self sufficient. When the U-Boats were at their most effective in cutting the supply lines, they came periously close to a starve or surrender choice. Spies want to locate the small reserves of food that are stored around the country. You get an interesting look at the farming, harvesting, and distribution network set up by the UK to feed everyone as fairly as possible. A good read.

[Patricia Valentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Harvest Festival Murders for its continued character growth and the romance that has been slowly blooming throughout the series. Watching those relationships develop has been one of my favorite parts, and this book definitely delivered on that front.

That said, the plot itself felt a bit sloppy compared to earlier installments. This small town sure seems to attract an awful lot of murders (this book had the most yet) which started to feel a little unrealistic. While the mystery was still entertaining, it didn’t feel quite as tight or believable as some of the previous stories.

Overall, I’m still very much enjoying this series and remain invested in the characters. This one just didn’t hit as strongly for me, but it certainly won’t stop me from continuing on with the next book.

[Teresa Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sixth installment in the Homefront Sleuths series was genuinely difficult to put down. The authors deliver several clever storyline twists while continuing to deepen the lives of the characters I’ve grown to love. Every member of the cast brings something unique to the situations that unfold, making the village feel wonderfully alive and historically authentic.

Evie’s oven is once again working overtime, turning out delicious breads and desserts for the ration‑hungry patrons of the Tea Room, and the Harvest Festival Murders introduces yet another tense attempt by German spies to succeed.

While this book can be enjoyed as a stand‑alone, the rich character development shines brightest when read in order. I’m fascinated by how vividly the authors portray daily life in WWII England.

Highly recommend this series..

[Louisa with an A · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn’t need to be a book. This series doesn’t need to continue past the 5th book. It’s just continuing for two reasons, for the sake of it and to tie up loose threads for some of the characters that could have been tied up within the other books, but the writers are lazy, unimaginative, and don’t back their characters up with any substance.

The thing that sucks is that this was probably my least hated book, aside from the first one. There was intrigue in the plot (though it was still convoluted and had more characters than you could poke a stick at), there were red herrings, and the writing wasn’t as bad as it has been.

But I’m so glad to be over with this series – I know, I know I was imposing this series on myself – and that weirdly genius dog Bonzo.